Siren Call
by moonswirl
Summary: Gleekathon, days 1115a to 1133a (alternating): With each day they are coming closer to finding a way home, and they have no idea just how close. - Berry-st series
1. How Things Have Changed

_Started my daily ficlets to make the hiatus pass, then decided to keep going with a 2nd cycle, and then a 3rd, 4th, etc through 53rd cycle. Now cycle 54!_

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_**This is a double shift day.** There will be one more upload today: The Fair Collaboration, chapter 1._

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**"Siren Call"  
AU!World (World B) + Canon!World (World A)  
Berry-St series  
_(all series now listed under the communities tab in my profile)_**

******1. How Things Have Changed  
WORLD B**

Mornings were the worse. It was one thing to have to remember, with every new day that came, that she wasn't where she was supposed to be. Only on top of that she had to be treated, morning after morning, to the usual breakfast routine, her mother serving her father just as she would do every day, the dutiful wife looking after her man. Only Quinn knew that 'her man' had taken to getting served elsewhere. At first she only knew that, by her knowledge of Russell Fabray in her world, he would be stepping out on her mother at some point. But then after a while she had begun to see the hints that told her... it was actually happening, here and now. It made her furious to think she hasn't realized it back in her own world.

That morning, it got to be too much. She didn't know what had gotten into her to make her step out and look to the honor of her counterpart and her mother, but as she sat there at the breakfast table with them and she watched her mother return to the kitchen to make more coffee and a toast as he requested, Quinn looked to her father for a moment before shaking her head to herself and picking up her fork again.

"I need to have a word with you," she spoke with a calm that quickly drew Russell's attention.

"About what, dear?"

"Your mistress," she simply stated, never looking away from her breakfast.

"Excuse me? You will watch your tone."

"My tone is just fine, Dad. Now if it were up to me, Mom would never have to hear about you and that woman, and I sincerely hope there has only be one. The way I see it, you've got two choices. You can decide to leave Mom and go be with your little friend, or you can leave that one and try to somehow reconcile yourself with the fact that you married one woman and vowed to be faithful to her, even though you have not been."

"How dare you speak to me like..."

"Like what, Dad?" she finally looked to him. "Like an equal? Or like someone who is tired of pretending? I know what you're capable of," her voice trembled, knowing that this Russell had never kicked out a pregnant daughter, but that he would have if that had come to pass in this universe. "So you take your pick. And if you won't, then I'll tell Mom what you've been up to. Wonder what she'll do about that," her strength had returned, knowing her Judy had stood her ground and kicked her cheating husband out.

"Lucy Quinn Fabray," he pressed his hands to the table. She stood.

"You have two days to decide. For your sake I hope it takes less," she grabbed her bag just as Judy returned.

"Leaving already?" she looked surprised. "You haven't finished your plate..."

"Sorry, lost my appetite," Quinn kissed her mother's cheek before stomping out the door.

She had needed the whole ride to school to decompress and not show up with her emotions on display. She would have Jesse to contend with, and he was already in a bit of a foul, distracted mood these days, ever since the discussion about what could have brought them all to these opposite worlds and the possible ways of returning home. He was thinking about these possibilities, she could tell.

Somewhere along the way, once they had stopped being so at one another's throat, they had managed to become friends, and she wasn't entirely sure, of the two of them, who was more shocked about this. But now it was hard for them not to depend on one another. They had allies in this world's Rachel and Brittany, but they couldn't detach from the knowledge that the two of them didn't belong to this world, and all they could ever want was to leave. They were all they had of home.

When she found him, he was sitting outside school, headphones on, eyes closed. She frowned, wondering what he was up to. She stopped in front of him, hesitating to touch him and let him know she was there, not wanting to startle him.

"Hey," he had spoken all of a sudden and she was the startled one as he opened his eyes.

"Meditating?" she asked.

"Almost," he sighed, pulling the headphones off, pausing the song. She'd never seen him so reserved, and he almost reminded her of the other Jesse now. He stood and they walked in to school. "I'm looking for a song."

"Did you check the internet?" she asked, not grasping.

"It's not like that," he shook his head, putting his arm around her shoulders in pretend boyfriend mode, so easily that it took her by surprise, but she went with it, leaning to him. "I've been thinking, if what you said is true, then I should try singing for her again, in the auditorium."

"To Rachel," she nodded, understanding.

"Thought about just doing the same one as last time, if that was really what did it, but then it feels like maybe I'm supposed to do something else," he explained, his voice telling how he wasn't even sure if what he said made any sense, and she smirked.

"If that's what you're feeling, maybe there's a reason. So, how goes the search?"

"Not so good," he admitted. "I wouldn't even know where to start. What am I supposed to say?"

"Maybe you don't need to think about it so hard and… it'll come to you," she shook her head, thinking aloud. "What if you went up there on stage to do your song search?"

"I could do that," Jesse agreed. He sounded like he had reached the point in his efforts where he would try just about anything if there was a chance that it would work; she knew the feeling. "Do me a favor?" he asked, and she nodded. "Keep an eye on Rachel?" Quinn chuckled.

"I think we know she won't be a problem, she's… busy," she reminded him, immediately wishing she hadn't. It wasn't that he had any sort of problem with the secret-to-everyone-else-but-them relationship she had going on with Santana. The only real issue he had was that as much as this world's Rachel was her own person, she still had his Rachel's face. He was starting to understand more and more how hard it had to be for the other Quinn to see him, back before she'd made her jump. "I'll look out for her," Quinn rephrased with a nod.

TO BE CONTINUED (SUNDAY)


	2. A Feeling On the Winds

_**This is a double shift day.** There will be one more upload today: Padra's Run, chapter 1._

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**"Siren Call"**

**2. A Feeling On the Winds  
World A (AU!Jesse/AU!Quinn, Rachel, Santana)**

She had not been unhappy. She was worried about how long they had and could be stuck in this world that wasn't their own, she was scared that this had happened to them, she was uncertain how to act sometimes, but she wasn't unhappy. If anything she had been unhappier before she had landed here. This may have had something to do with the fact that, in coming here, she had been reunited with her Jesse, but beyond that… she was actually okay. So to say that she was doing even better now was saying something. Seeing her practically skipping about made Jesse smile. They were practicing for the week's Glee Club assignment in the choir room, and she was just serene.

"What is with you today?" he laughed as she sidled up to him at the piano.

"Can't you feel it?" she asked with a smile.

"Feel what?" he frowned, unsure. She leaned closer.

"It's going to happen. You and me, we're going home soon," she spoke confidently.

"We are? How?" he sat up. She shrugged, just smiling on.

"I have no idea. But I woke up this morning and… something felt different. It was hard to explain, but for a few seconds I actually thought we'd gone home already. Then I saw I was still here, and it should have felt like the biggest disappointment in the world, but then I figured this feeling wasn't so much that we were home but that we would be there soon," she explained. "Can't you feel it?" she repeated. He took a moment to 'feel' for this sensation she had.

"I guess things do feel a little different… better. Maybe it's just because we've been here so long though. We've gotten used to being here."

"True," she admitted, coming to sit at his side. "But maybe it's something more, and we are on the verge of returning. We should probably refrain from doing anything too… dangerous, just in case we end up driving off the road, or chopping off a finger or two," she couldn't help but think of her own transfer, how she'd almost drowned.

"So from now on we take the bus, and get other people to cook for us, got it," he nodded, and she laughed. After a beat, she looked back to him.

"It's going to be so weird though," she had to say.

"Being back there?" he asked, and she nodded. "Yeah, probably. Do you think we'll go back to when we left, or… when they leave?" he frowned, feeling like he was this close to a headache.

"Well, I came when I came, and Rachel did, too, so I guess we just go to whenever it is that they are… The school year is going to be over soon here, they'll jump in close to summer, and we'll have to redo everything again," she tried to count off in her head.

"Great," he sighed, and she laughed. "At least we'll have all the answers… not that we'll use them… because that would be bad," he obliged when he saw the look she gave him.

"We don't even know what they've done since the last jump, and even before that, Rachel hasn't exactly been forthcoming on that… The other us are probably going to be in for a surprise when they find out they started dating," she smirked at him and he cringed.

"They'll understand," he spoke 'confidently.'

"Sure," she nodded, though she looked ready to laugh.

"But it'll be fine…" She was smiling, though it usually wasn't long before thinking of going home meant thinking of being back with her family. "Hey…" he gave her hand a squeeze when he saw her eyes go off somewhere else. "What's up?"

"How am I supposed to go back there like I don't know about this world, about what my father did to me… the other me, and my mother. If he cheated here, what's to say he isn't cheating in our world, too? I don't know if I can look him in the eye like nothing happened." Jesse put his arm around her, bringing her closer and kissing the side of her head.

"Whatever happens, I'm going to be there with you, alright?"

"Promise?" she closed her eyes.

"Never leaving you again," he swore.

"We couldn't control it last time," she reminded him. "You were just taken, you and Rachel, and I was there by myself for a while before…"

"Last time was different," he shook his head. "It wasn't about us, and we had no say in the matter. I'm starting to think the reason you ended up here, too, was because I missed you too much," he spoke at her ear and she had no way not to smile.

"You willed me here?" she looked up to him.

"I think I did," he looked her in the eye. "So if I'm going to go anywhere," he looked down to her hand, which he still held in his own, "Then you're coming with me."

"Hope so," she added her second hand to his.

"I think I'm starting to feel that feeling you were talking about before," he told her, and she smiled, taking one more beat to enjoy the feeling of being so close to him before pulling back and standing to take back her position standing by the piano.

"Then let's not let it go to waste."

"What if we go back before we get to present this number?" he suggested, and she stopped.

"Didn't think of that. But they can figure it out," she shrugged.

"Want to go practice in the auditorium?" he offered, and she shook her head.

"It'll be taken," she revealed, and it took him a moment to understand.

"Rachel's over there?" he asked, and Quinn confirmed.

"Every chance she gets."

TO BE CONTINUED (TUESDAY)


	3. Won't Know Unless

_**This is a double shift day.** There will be one more upload today: Technicolor Wishes & Hi-Def Dreams, chapter 1._

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**"Siren Call"**

**3. Won't Know Unless  
WORLD A (Rachel, Santana, AU!Jesse/AU!Quinn)**

It wasn't the music that drew her to the auditorium. She was pretty sure that by now, after being in Glee Club this year, she could just kind of let it fall into ambient noise territory when she needed to. It wasn't the music that drew her, no, in this case it was more like the sudden lack of music. She had registered its presence as she passed by the door, and then it just stopped, almost abruptly. A moment later, she heard a loud thud and she hurried to open the door and look inside. She had to walk in a bit further to confirm what she was seeing, which was Rachel, crouched next to the overturned piano bench, gathering sheet music now strewn across the stage.

"Everything okay in here?" she called out, and Rachel's head popped up from around the piano.

"Santana?" she called, frowning, and the girl waved. "I'm fine," she sighed, continuing to pick up the sheets.

"Yes, because you look it right now," Santana continued down the aisle toward the stage.

"I'm kind of busy right now, so if all you're going to do is make jokes, then you can show yourself out."

"Geez, alright, I'm sorry," she got up the steps and came to help her pick up the sheets.

"I've got it, I… Thanks," Rachel sighed, calming down.

"I didn't see you in English," Santana pointed out.

"I was busy."

"I see that," her eyes scanned all the sheets they were both gathering. Seeing the look Rachel threw her, she held up one hand in apology. "What are you doing?"

"Following a hunch," Rachel explained.

"The song thing?" Santana recalled having heard this from Quinn a few days back. "Really think that's all it's going to take?"

"Maybe, I don't know. It's not like we've got any other viable options right now, so I have to try."

"Then what's the problem?" Santana asked.

"He's still here, they're still here… Jesse and Quinn, they haven't changed back." Santana kept looking at her, not grasping. "I've been coming here, every day…"

"Even on the weekend?" Santana cut in.

"Yes, and I come and I stand here, and I sing the song… hoping he'll show up again," she shook her head, like she was on the verge of tears. "But he hasn't come, not yet, so either the whole thing just isn't working, or I need to find another song, not the one that supposedly did this to us."

"Well sure, that makes sense…" Santana nodded.

"Really?" Rachel looked to her with so much hope, Santana almost wanted to tell her whatever she wanted to hear.

"I don't know," she spoke honestly. "But even if I don't know that it's true, I still think it could be, so why not, right?"

"Right," Rachel breathed. They had finished picking up the sheets, and they both stood, putting them on the piano, where Rachel proceeded to start putting them back in order.

"So what did happen?" Santana asked. "Before I came in here. Heard a noise, so I came in," she explained. Rachel nodded to the still overturned piano bench.

"Kind of got frustrated for a second, and well…" she indicated the sheets she was now putting back in order. "The longer I try and nothing happens, I just get so… I don't know what to do anymore…" she shook her head, sighing. Santana looked at her, and she sighed. She still felt indebted to her, though if she was honest with herself, she did genuinely just want to help her, cared for what happened to her, and to Jesse and Quinn, on both sides.

"You just haven't found the right one," she moved to stand at her side. "Forget this," she took the sheets from her hands and put them down. "This isn't some audition or Glee Club solo you're trying to win over us," she told her, getting a frown for her troubles, but it was almost needed at this point. "You didn't have a pile of paper to tell you what to do last time, right?"

"If that was even it," Rachel cut in.

"You'll get there… or you'll stay here, and he'll get here… You know what I mean," she gestured, and Rachel nodded. "Alright, now get out of here, take a walk, I don't know. You're going to drive yourself crazy just standing here… Among other people," she pointed to herself, and Rachel hesitated. "Go, get out of here, I've got this," she turned back to the sheets, picking up where Rachel had left off. The girl stood there watching her for a moment, and Santana turned to her. "What?"

"Would you be doing this if you didn't feel guilty?"

"Sorry?" Santana's eyes turned away.

"Took me a while to figure out why you've been so nice to me," Rachel stepped back up.

"Can't a girl be nice without a reason?" Santana accused. "Even I have my moments."

"There's a difference between being nice and what you've been doing. You were there when I woke up back here."

"You were being all weird, so I took you to Jesse and Quinn," Santana shrugged.

"How'd you know to go to them?" Rachel had her with that, and Santana sighed. "The way I figured, the other me went to you, asked for your help. Why she'd choose you, over anyone else, maybe she needed someone who could be… manipulative." Santana glared at her. "Did she ask you to help keep her here?" she went straight for it, and Santana had no shot of deflecting the question. "They told me how she didn't want to go, not that I'd blame her, with what she had to go back to… But she did go back, and I returned… And you felt guilty, didn't you?"

"Look, the important part is that you got back, right?" Santana deflected.

"I'm not blaming you for anything," Rachel promised her. "So if that's why you're here then…"

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe I'm here just to help you guys? Is it so unlikely that I might care?"

"No, I guess not." Santana gave a nod, as though to say 'that's right.' After a moment, Rachel smiled. "Thank you." Santana wasn't sure how to respond to this, so she kept organizing the sheets. Finally Rachel headed up out of the auditorium as she had been 'ordered,' leaving Santana there to her task. She had no real obligation to them now, she supposed… But she wasn't going anywhere.

TO BE CONTINUED (THURSDAY)


	4. All the Best to You

**"Siren Call"**

**4. All the Best to You**

WORLD B

They'd been sneaking about for a few weeks now, and it was still just as exciting, just as heated as ever. Only it remained what it was, closets and offices. And for how much Rachel was enjoying it, she was finding the need for her had started to… leech out. She wanted to be able to look at her in the light, to look at her and show her how much she had come to mean to her… Santana Lopez had gone and surpassed all her expectations, made her believe that there was such a thing as one person who could make you feel better than any other, and not just by virtue of what they could do to one another, although that was pretty damn… Well, it was excellent. But she had started to feel something new. Now whenever she saw the girl, at school or around town, she'd get this flutter in her chest, like all she wanted to do was be near her, not doing anything, just being with her… She would have thought that she would hate it, absolutely resent it, but then even she was human, and she wasn't dead to the idea of love… If she could afford to call it that…

"Santana?" she had found herself asking her that one day, as they were fixing themselves up to re-emerge into the halls of McKinley after five minutes in a broom closet.

"Yeah?" the girl looked back to her, fixing her ponytail.

"Would you come over to my house tonight?" Santana paused.

"Your house?" she asked.

"My father's going to be out, so I'll be alone and… Well if you were there then I wouldn't have to be," she offered. She wasn't sure what she would say, if she would outright refuse, wanting to keep things to what they were now, or… Would she think all she wanted was to get her in bed? Okay, the thought had definitely occurred to her, as that was one step they had yet to take, but she knew very well that Santana was still testing the waters, and this might be…

"Okay," Santana had suddenly said, and if Rachel had tried to play it cool, her face wasn't in on the plan, because as soon as she'd accepted, her face had gone full out smiles.

"Good, alright," she nodded, and Santana had to laugh, though there was something else on her face… Maybe she wasn't the only one for plans about that evening.

"What time do you want me to be there?"

"Uh… six?" she offered, and Santana smiled, moving up to kiss her.

"I'll be there," she promised before leaving the broom closet. Rachel had to sit back and take a breath. Anyone seeing them walk down the halls would usually try not to get in their way, knowing how volatile they could be… They would be surprised to see how they could soften one another. All of this, it had been a surprise, especially to Rachel. And that was why she couldn't tell her.

Santana didn't know. She didn't know that, for some time, she had been in another world, being intrigued over another girl who so happened to have her face, her name, her everything. She didn't know that at this very moment, the Jesse and Quinn she was interacting with were not the ones she had known for however long they'd known each other. And why should she know? She would think they were all crazy, and Rachel couldn't say she'd blame her on that… Sometimes she was sure they had just taken a swift blow to the head, all of them. But then this was their life, and all she could hope was that soon enough they would get all this mess sorted out. It definitely felt like they were getting closer.

After she'd left the broom closet, she had gone to her locker. On her way though, she had passed the auditorium and, just to confirm her suspicions, she had looked in. As expected, she could see Jesse down there, on the stage. He sat at the piano, thinking, playing, thinking, playing… Ever since they'd gotten it in their heads that this was the key to send everyone home, he would spend most if not all of his free time there. She wouldn't have been surprised if he even spent his nights here.

She knew she hadn't been the most helpful in the beginning… Well, maybe she wasn't that helpful today either, but she had improved, compared to the beginning, no doubt. Back in the other world she had conspired to keep from returning home, and after she had returned she had wanted to be left alone, to not be involved at all…

But she did wish for them to get to go home. It wasn't just so this would all be over, although that was definitely part of it. She could understand what it was like to be out of one's place, she had been one of them in the beginning. Her outlook on things had changed, she could feel it. Back before she'd been sent home, she had rolled her eyes and shook her head at seeing 'the lovebirds' and how they held to one another through this ordeal… She'd thought it silly, but now…

Santana didn't know, and she didn't want her to. Because if she found out and that meant losing her, then Rachel didn't think she could recover. That was her truth, the one she couldn't tell Santana herself, because she was afraid it would scare her away. All they'd done was make out and grope each other in the dark, but if she could she would have held her in the light. They had a chance, they could get to that, if they kept going the way they did… So if everyone went back to the world they belonged to, then all the strangeness could come to an end, and she could follow her unexpected love story to its next chapter.

TO BE CONTINUED (SATURDAY)


	5. If Only For You And I

**"Siren Call"**

**5. If Only For You & I**

**(A/N: Hope the back and forth is pretty straightforward ;))**

WORLD A

Rachel had returned to the auditorium after her Lopez-mandated cooling off period. As it turned out, the whole exercise had been just what she needed. She returned with a new sort of outlook on what she had been doing and what she should do. She tried to remember the fated day when she the two of them had supposedly conjured themselves into another world, and she hadn't gone in there with any sort of plan. She had been led up there by… her heart, her soul, who knew? She had gone up there and she had sung. So maybe she just needed to take out all plotting and do as her gut told her.

The auditorium was empty, silent. Santana had apparently finished picking up and organizing the sheet music before she left, because there it sat all neat on the piano. Rachel never went anywhere near it. Instead she went and stood, center stage, staring out at the empty audience. She closed her eyes, took a breath, and when she opened her eyes again, she addressed the empty seats like they would listen to her.

[RACHEL] _Hello world, / Hope you're list'ning / Forgive me if I'm young / or speaking out of turn. / But there's someone I've been missing / and I think that they could be / The better half of me. / They're in the wrong place, tryin' to make it right / But I'm tired of justifying. / So I say to you:_

X

WORLD B

Nothing was working, and he was growing frustrated. He could feel it, there was a way to bring her back, but anything he came up with just felt… dishonest. He wasn't saying what he was supposed to, what he felt deep down needed to be said. His history with Rachel was not just as it should or could have been. The first part of it had involved him flat out lying to her about his intentions, except at some point the line between truth and lie had gone and blurred away, so much that for a while he thought they could have an actual relationship, not made from lies but from the fact that he was truly falling in love with her. But then that had been wrecked, and he had thought he could never fix it. And then they had come here, and despite his concerns, they had found their way to… something close to being honest with one another.

And then she'd been taken from him again, and he was trying his very best to get back to her, all the while knowing there were things he still needed to say to her. He wasn't sure she really knew what she had and still meant for him, and most of all he needed her to know…

He had started playing, without really thinking, and soon his voice lent itself to the notes.

[JESSE] _Now I know I messed up bad / You were the best I ever had / I let you down in the worst way / It hurts me every single day / I'm dying to let you know_

_Now I'm here to say I'm sorry / And ask for a second chance / Cause when it all comes down to the end / I could sure use a friend_

_So many things I would take back / You were the best I ever had / I don't blame you for hating me / I didn't mean to make you leave_

X

[RACHEL] _Come home, / Come home, / 'Cause I've been waiting for you / For so long, / For so long. / And right now there's a war between the vanities, / But all I see is you and me, / and the fight for you is all I've ever known / So come home_

X

[JESSE] _You and I were living like a love song / I feel so bad, I feel so bad that you're gone / Now I know you're the only one that I want / I want you back, I want you_

X

[RACHEL] _I get lost in the beauty / Of everything I see. / The world ain't half as bad / As they paint it to be. / If all the sons, / All the daughters / Would stop to take it in, / Well then hopefully the hate subsides and the love can begin' / It might start now, yeah, maybe I'm just dreaming out loud / Well until then,_

X

[JESSE] _Now I'm here to say I'm sorry / And ask for a second chance / Cause when it all comes down to the end / I could sure use a friend / Now I'm here to say I'm sorry / And ask for a second chance / All I want to do is make it up to you / Cause when it all comes down to the end / You were the best I ever had_

X

[RACHEL] _Come home, / Come home, / 'Cause I've been waiting for you / For so long, / For so long. / And right now there's a war between the vanities / But all I see is you and me, / and the fight for you is all I've ever known, / I've ever known. / So come home_

X

[JESSE] _We fell in love for a reason / Now you're leaving / And I just want you back / So many things we believed in / Now you're leaving and words won't bring you back / I'll never let go of the heart I broke_

_You and I were living like a love song / Now I know you're the only one that I want / I want you back, I want you_

X

[RACHEL] _Everything I can't be / Is everything you should be / And that's why I need you here. / Everything I can't be / Is everything you should be / And that's why I need you here / So hear this now:_

X

[JESSE] _Now I'm here to say I'm sorry / And ask for a second chance / All I want to do is make it up to you / Cause when it all comes down to the end / I could sure use a friend / Now I'm here to say I'm sorry / And ask for a second chance / All I want to do is make it up to you / Cause when it all comes down to the end / You were the best I ever had_

_I can't believe that I threw away all our dreams / I can't believe now that you're gone how much you mean to me / I feel so bad, I feel so bad / You were the best I ever had / I can't believe that I threw away all our dreams / I can't believe now that you're gone how much you mean to me / I feel so bad, I feel so bad / You were, / You were the best I ever had_

X

[RACHEL] _Come home, / Come home, / 'Cause I've been waiting for you / For so long, / For so long. / And right now there's a war between the vanities / But all I see is you and me, / The fight for you is all I've ever known, / Ever known. / So come home, / Come home._

X

His hands stilled over the keys, and he bowed his head, breathing in, letting the breath out… He had found it, he knew he did… his song. But was this it, would it send him home? He didn't feel exhausted at all, not in the way that would have told him he was heading home. He had seen that, he'd seen it happen to Rachel, and he didn't feel that way at all… Maybe it would take a few minutes. Was she there? In her world, their world, was she there, singing for him? Had she reached the same conclusion? What if they were meant to sing the same song? How was he supposed to know? Even then, how could they? Rachel had nothing to feel sorry for, not in his book, so why should she sing it?

He rubbed at his eyes, wishing more than anything that he would start to feel exhausted, like he couldn't stand. But as the minutes went by he just felt forever grounded to this place. Nothing was happening, and maybe nothing would… Had he messed it up, or were they just doomed never to see each other again, because of what he'd done? Rachel deserved so much, what if it was that she deserved better than him?

He stayed there, sitting at the piano bench, for what felt like ages. But he couldn't move. Leaving would have felt like admitting defeat. He had let her down before, he couldn't do that, not again. He would stay until sleep took him and he would let it carry him back to her.

X

As soon as she had stopped singing, she had been swallowed by silence again. All she could hear were the last fading echoes of her voice, and her breath, ragged, confused… Had it worked? She couldn't know, not on her own. She was still here, that was normal. He was the one who was supposed to come back, him and Quinn. She almost didn't want to leave, to find out… As long as she stayed here, she could pretend that it had worked, and that somewhere he would awaken back where he belonged, and he would come and find her. Once she left the auditorium though, whatever the truth was, she would have to accept it. She would find Jesse, and she would know in a heartbeat if he was still the other Jesse, the one who had to return to his world, or her Jesse, the one she desperately wanted to return. If she went to him and it was him, then that would be…

"Rachel?"

She froze… could it be? She looked up, and there he came, him and Quinn… Oh, please…

"Jesse?"

"You want to come and have dinner with us? We were thinking Breadstix?" he asked, pointing back to Quinn. She closed her eyes, gathering every bit of strength she had so she wouldn't break down in front of them…

That wasn't her Jesse, they hadn't gone back… and hers hadn't come back.

"Y-yeah… sure," she'd made herself accept. At this point, she needed them nearby.

TO BE CONTINUED (MONDAY)

* * *

SONGS  
[Jesse] "Best I Ever Had" - State of Shock  
[Rachel] "Come Home" - OneRepublic + Sara Bareilles


	6. What If We Failed

**"Siren Call"**

**6. What If We Failed**

WORLD A

It had been three days since she had sung up on that auditorium stage for Jesse to 'Come Home,' and so far… he hadn't. Everyone was in the same place they had been for weeks, and they appeared nowhere closer to a resolution. Part of her wanted to go back, try again, with the same song or maybe even with a different one. But then Quinn had pointed out maybe it would take a few days, and now she was thinking maybe it was wise to let those days go by, really make sure that nothing had happened. What if it was all in the process of happening, and she ended up singing them away by accident? So she would let a week go by. If in four days he hadn't come, then she was getting back on that stage.

Still, with every day that passed, it seemed she was finding it harder and harder to believe that things were really going to work themselves out, and her downed spirits could well drag them all down.

When they would meet each other at school in the morning, there would be this look going between them, saying 'so I guess we're in for one more day.' None of them really wanted to talk about it anymore. She had told them, about her song, and how it had felt right, and she told them about her ultimatum. In hindsight, maybe she should have kept that to herself, so they didn't feel like the one potentially solid lead they had hadn't just failed them miserably.

On that third day, as much as they didn't want to talk about it, they did sit together at lunch, the four of them. Even Santana would hang by, needing to know if things had sorted themselves out.

"Maybe he wasn't there," Rachel had spoken up all of a sudden, and the other three had looked to her.

"Who, Jesse?" Quinn asked.

"Maybe we both had to be there at the same time."

"How is that even possible, didn't you say when you got to the other world it was just after Sectionals?" Santana asked her, and Rachel nodded. "So they're months back, how are you supposed to be there at the same time?"

"Right…" Rachel frowned, and a second later Santana cried out when…

"Did you kick me?" she glared at Quinn.

"Do you have to be a buzzkill like that?" the blonde frowned.

"I'm just stating the facts here. What's the point of pretending like everything is alright?"

"Please, stop," Rachel cut in, and they did, although Santana continued giving Quinn the death stare.

"It's not that crazy, I mean if we assume that the same amount of days has gone by for them as it did for us, then they could be singing at the same time…" Jesse offered a bit of reassurance, and Quinn nodded her approval.

"Figures you'd side with her," Santana shook her head.

"Well it makes sense," Quinn stared back at her.

"Even then, how are we supposed to know when he's going to be there?"

"I think he was," Rachel spoke up, thinking back. "Or maybe I just hope he was and… I don't know. What if this wasn't it at all? What if this won't actually bring them back and we've been wasting our time," she sighed, and now the others were quiet.

"We don't know that," Quinn insisted.

"No, we don't, because we have no way of communicating. For all we know, they'll be stuck over there and you'll be stuck here, for weeks, months, years… Maybe it'll stay like this…" The further she sank into it, the more the pair of them looked concerned, afraid, like they were starting to believe her.

"Okay, enough," Santana snapped them back to reality. "You need to stop this, right now. This is why we don't talk about it. You said you'd wait a week, then wait a week. Don't walk around here like all hope is lost, you're bumming everyone else out," she motioned to Jesse and Quinn. "Wait four more days, and if they haven't come, then go back and sing again. That's the one thing that's made sense in all this, and now I'm talking like this is normal and it's kind of freaking me out. Just wait, and if we have to go trial and error a couple times, then so be it. I'm not giving up, and neither should you," she closed her statement, planting her fork and bringing the bite to her mouth. The others looked to her, stunned.

"O-okay, alright, I guess we'll wait," Rachel agreed, and Santana nodded to her.

"Good, you do that."

The day had gone on, classes, Glee Club… When it was done, Rachel had gone to her locker, and she waited until she saw Jesse leave, and Quinn, and Santana as well. And then she went to the auditorium.

She wasn't going to sing, not again, not yet. Santana was right, and this was what they had planned, she was going to wait four more days. Still she wanted to be there, just to sit on that stage in silence. Being there, if she closed her eyes, she could imagine that he was there with her. There was a feeling about being in that room, it was as familiar to her as the choir room, so she could pretend that they were there, both of them, that there was no alternate world standing in between them.

All these days and weeks had gone by since this had begun, and since her return from the other world, she felt incomplete, like she couldn't be herself again yet. Their story was still in progress, but that progress had been interrupted by their separation, and knowing that he was out there, not knowing if he was safe, she couldn't move along. She wanted him to return, to see their story take on a new turn, and then they could look to the future together. They had always shared that passion for what they did, for their art, and sitting in that quiet auditorium with her eyes closed, she could picture it… All her hopes and dreams remained obscured until she could know he was safe and sound, back where he belonged.

TO BE CONTINUED (WEDNESDAY)


	7. Assume Crash Position

**"Siren Call"**

**7. Assume Crash Position**

WORLD B

It had been three days, from what she knew, since Jesse had first tried 'singing his way home.' Since then, as nothing had changed, he simply continued to try, at least once a day. She had spoken to Quinn about it that morning, and she'd said she would talk to him about it. As far as Rachel was concerned, that was all she really could do for him. She couldn't tell him to stop, because what would that really achieve? He was grasping on to his one option like it truly was his only shred of hope left. Besides, she had other things on her mind.

Three days prior, Santana had come by her house, as they'd decided. They both knew what was on the other's mind, and for all their talk it had taken a lot longer than either would have expected before either one of them decided to make a move. But the move had been made, and then one thing had led to the other… Everything had been wonderful and surprising, until they'd finished and Santana had made a quick exit. The next day, when they'd seen each other at school, she could tell the other girl felt ashamed for how she'd ended things. Rachel thought she would have been upset with her, but as had been the norm between them, she could only ever show herself completely understanding and accommodating to her tiny shuffling steps toward dealing with who she was.

Still they had yet to make a trip into anything dark and broom closet-like since that night, so when she'd felt the familiar tug on her arm, she'd smiled to herself and followed. Hearing the door shut, the lock turn, she'd looked back to her. Santana stared at her like she didn't know what to say or do anymore.

"I've missed you," Rachel told her, and Santana sighed.

"Me too," she admitted.

"Look, it's okay," Rachel came up, taking her hands. "If I had known, we could have waited, really…"

"It wasn't like that," Santana promised her. "I mean, I've…"

"Oh…" Rachel blinked, understanding.

"Everything with you though, it's been like the first, you know? The first one that mattered," she revealed, and it made Rachel smiled.

"Yeah, I get it… You're the first one that's mattered, too," she volunteered, and she was rewarded with a slow kiss, growing into a lingering one.

"I just wish I could do that… out there," she nodded back, indicating the halls.

"So why don't you? I will if you will," Rachel promised her. Santana looked back to her, and her eyes were already saying that she just wasn't ready for that.

Only before she was able to say a word, Rachel gasped, stepping back. "Rachel? What's wrong?" Santana reached for her, afraid she might lose her footing. She wasn't dizzy though, and she frowned.

"I don't know, I just felt something like... I-I don't really know how to describe it, but..."

It wasn't like a stomach ache or head ache or any other sort of bodily ache, but there was something odd going on and all of a sudden all she knew was that she had a pressing need to track down Jesse and Quinn.

"I... I need to go," she absently checked herself out, the way she would before returning to the halls whenever they would have an encounter.

"Look, I'm sorry if I wasn't..." Santana started to say, and Rachel turned back to her, shaking her head.

"Oh, no, no, that's not about us, I promise, I..." she leaned in to kiss her almost to prove her point. "I just have to go..." she opened the door, still cautious not to be seen as she ran off.

"What's going on with you?" She jumped, not having expected Santana to follow.

"Nothing," she sighed. "I swear, it's just..."

She came to a stop, causing Santana to bump into her, when she saw a mass of students huddled near a locker bay, knowing that Jesse's locker was among those. And then she knew.

"Let me through!" she raised her voice, forging herself a path through. "Hey, move, out of my way," she shoved a few of them, soon finding that Santana was helping her clear the way.

They both broke through at the same time, and what they found was just as Rachel had suspected.

Jesse and Quinn were on the floor, half sat up against the lockers but resting unconscious side by side. "Woah, hey, Quinn?" Santana reached to tap her cheek. "Quinn, Jesse, hey..."

"No, don't," Rachel pulled her hand back with, of all things, a smile.

"Are you kidding?" Santana couldn't understand. Rachel looked back, hoping... When she saw Brittany there on the outskirts of the onlookers, they shared a knowing look: it wouldn't be long now...

"Good luck..." Rachel whispered, almost laughing.

X

WORLD A

When she'd gotten home, Quinn was still having trouble ignoring the conversation at lunch. They were all trying to be brave about this, every day, even when it felt like hope was a bigger waste of their time as their stay lengthened on and on. She'd ended up calling Jesse. Hearing his voice was usually good for calming her.

"You okay?" he asked when she had only spoken a hello.

"Am I that obvious?"

"Not always, but sometimes," he told her, and she sighed. "It'll work, I promise."

"You're that sure?" she yawned.

"I have to be. And you had that feeling," he paused, "Remember."

"I-I do, it's just..." It was about the third time she had forced herself to open her eyes, and finally she understood. "Oh... Jesse, please tell me you're falling asleep right now..." she pinched her nose, trying to hang on just a while longer.

"We're going back, aren't we?" his voice was just one big yawn, and she had to laugh.

"W-We are... It worked, it... I'll see you there, right?" she dragged her feet, trying to find her bed.

"I love you..." he spoke, and as tired as they were, her eyes had no problem producing tears. He was making sure she knew, just in case.

"I love you, too," she promised, feeling her knees buckle.

The last thing she remembered was falling across her bed, her phone slipping from her hand.

TO BE CONTINUED (FRIDAY)


	8. You Found Me

_**This is a double shift day.** There will be one more upload today: The Fair Collaboration, chapter 3__._

* * *

**"Siren Call"**

**8. You Found Me**

WORLD A

She had gone searching for Jesse after Rachel had asked her to look in on him. She'd known the last few days hadn't been easy on him, after this attempt at getting them back home had yet to produce any kind of result, and she'd sort of left him to deal with it at his own pace. But then she'd found him in the auditorium, again, singing himself into just shy of losing his voice. They had started talking, and he eventually she had gotten him to leave the auditorium. She had followed him off to his locker, and that was when it had hit them both, the telltale exhaustion that told them they were about to be taken back. They had done their best to get into a seated position and prevent injury, and they had barely managed it before they relinquished themselves to the journey.

Her previous journey had gone much the same way as the last, and when she had opened her eyes again, she saw that she was lying on her bed. By the way her limbs dangled off the ends, she could imagine she the other her had dropped into unconsciousness right here and taken a fall. She found her phone on the ground, further proving the theory. She sat back on her bed for a moment, holding her head. She took a few deep breaths… It had happened, they had gone…

She looked around her room, trying to find whatever form of tangible proof she could get her hands on, to know she was home. The fact that she'd gone from school to her house like this was one thing, but she had to make sure. She got up again, moving out of her room and down the stairs. Looking around, she found what she had hoped for. This was the home she had left, the one redecorated by her mother to remove all traces of her father… She had really made it, she…

"Oh, good, you're home." She looked up and there was her mother. She had seen her just that morning before school, but then that had been the other Judy, and as much as they resembled one another and were for all intents and purposes, Quinn knew that there was a difference, and to know that this was her mother, the one who had seen her grow up, had given birth to her… She hurried to her, embracing her. "I'm happy to see you, too," Judy laughed. "Everything alright?"

"Everything is… fine, I promise," Quinn laughed as well, with happy tears in her eyes. "But I have to go out for a bit, I won't be too late, I promise."

"Are you going to meet Jesse?" Judy asked, and Quinn blinked… Had they told her about the swap?

"Jesse?" she asked.

"Or are you bringing him over for dinner, because if you are I'll have to make more…"

"Din… I, uh… Let me get back to you on that," she told her mother before heading out… She had to find the others.

X

"Jesse? Wake up, what happened?" the voice became clearer as he woke up, and when his eyes opened…

"What?" It took him a moment to realize he was on the ground in his bedroom, and there was his uncle crouching by him.

"What happened to you, did you fall?"

"No, I…" His uncle… his uncle was there, which meant… "We made it…" he breathed, coughed.

"Sore throat?" he asked. Jesse scrambled to get up, looked to himself, around the room… He really was home. "Do you need anything…" All he could think about was…

"Rachel…" He looked to his uncle. "There's somewhere I have to be, sorry."

X

She had been sitting on the auditorium stage for over an hour, and she was pretty sure if she didn't get out soon she would get locked in for the night. Except the longer she sat there, the more all she wanted to do was to get up and try again, seven day rule be damned.

"Screw it," she sighed, getting to her feet, straightening up her dress so she could face the empty audience again and sing out her…

When she turned and faced the seats though, there was someone… there was Jesse. She paused, looking at him. There was a chill coursing through her, locking her eyes with his… Was it really him?

"Jesse?" she begged, and he looked as taken as she was, looking at her… like he hadn't seen her in weeks. "Jesse…" she breathed, and he came up the aisle, climbing up the stage steps as she remained glued to her spot. He came to a stop in front of her, and he presented her with his hand and a smirk.

"Hi," he looked like he was barely keeping it together. She placed her hand in his, and she smiled back.

"Hello…" The hand contact was just that, and still it confirmed what they had wanted for so long: they were back together, back where they belonged… "Did you… I sang for you…" she breathed, and he scooped her up in his arms.

"Three days ago," he told her, and she cried, squeezing back. "I kept trying… I think you can hear it…"

"Oh, I'll take care of that," she promised him, and he laughed.

X

Santana had known somehow, after she'd left, that Rachel would stay, that she'd try again. And maybe her 'debt' to Rachel had been uncovered, but it was like she said: she wasn't just in it for what she'd almost done, she was helping her friends. So after debating it with herself, she had returned to McKinley, gone straight to the auditorium… and there she was. Only she wasn't singing, she was just sitting there. Santana had decided not to disturb her, and she had started walking away from the auditorium when she heard steps behind her and turned to see Jesse go in.

"What the..." she frowned, but then…

"Santana?" Now Quinn was back, too.

"Okay, great, so everyone's back, now I won't look like a narc…" She was cut off when Quinn just up and hugged her. "You okay?" Santana blinked. Quinn stood back, looking her in the eye, waiting… "Wait a second… Quinn?" she asked, and the blonde laughed. "So that means that was…" she pointed to the auditorium, and Quinn nodded. "We might want to give them a few minutes then…"

"Great, while we're waiting, do you mind telling me why my mother wanted to know if I'd be bringing Jesse home to dinner?"

X

Eventually, Quinn and Santana had walked into the auditorium, finding Jesse and Rachel sat on the edge of the stage, talking. At the sound of the doors they had looked up, and Rachel smiled, seeing Quinn and guessing already that this was the one from her world, which meant that everyone was back. Both she and Jesse got up, and while Rachel welcomed Quinn back, Santana did the same with Jesse.

"So I guess it's over now?" Santana looked to the other three, who had been taken from this world and returned to it.

"We're home, but it's like they say, right… 'it's only the beginning,'" Rachel looked to Jesse, who gave her a smile. Now that they had found each other again, they weren't letting go.

TO BE CONTINUED (SUNDAY)


	9. This Looks Familiar

_**This is a double shift day.** There will be one more upload today: Padra's Run, chapter 3__._

* * *

**"Siren Call"**

**9. This Looks Familiar**

Deep down she had been terrified of going through this moment. The last time, she had nearly drowned, so it was understandable, but even then… She didn't know what she would wake up to, and when she felt what was definitely a mattress, there was a second where she was worried that she hadn't gone after all. She had passed out on her bed, but then maybe the other her had also been on a bed, so that would explain it. She opened her eyes and found she was not just on her bed but in it, head on the pillow, blankets pulled up and everything, and when she looked down she saw she was in her PJs… It was nighttime, 2:17am, according to her alarm clock.

She reached for her bedside lamp, turned it on. Her head was still a bit loopy, but she was in her room, so she felt safe. She was back though, so it was alright, she was home, and…

"Jesse…" she remembered, they were on the phone. Her eyes went to the ground, looking for her phone, before she remembered that she wasn't in that world anymore, and her phone was on her nightstand. Looking through her contacts, Jesse wasn't there… Had the other Quinn removed his number? She had to see him. She reached for clothes, anything she could get her hands on, and she got dressed.

She snuck out of the house, getting in her car and driving off to Jesse's uncle's house. She realized what time it was, but then he would be awake, too, she hoped. She rang the doorbell, maybe unwise as she risked waking his uncle, but right in that moment her head still wasn't quite in order. She paced about on the doorstep, begging for him to just come and answer the…

"Who's that out there?" she recognized Jesse's uncle's voice.

"It's Quinn, Mr. , Quinn Fabray?" The door opened and there was Jesse's uncle, roused from sleep. He looked at her, frowning.

"Who are you?" She blinked.

"I… It's me, Quinn… Jesse's girlfriend?"

"Jesse doesn't have a girlfriend," the man looked annoyed. "It is 2:30 in the morning, whoever you are, just go home." Before she could put in a word he had gone inside and shut the door. She stood there for a while, frozen, confused. She was finally leaving the door when she heard a car drive up. It came to a stop, and from it emerged Jesse. When he got to the sidewalk and saw her, he stopped.

"I went to your house, you weren't there…" he breathed out. "Your mother didn't know who I… Please tell me you know who I am…"

"Of course I do," she hurried up to him, holding on to him as he wrapped his arms around her. "Your uncle didn't know me either," she revealed. "Were you in Akron? How long have you been back?"

"A couple of hours, I drove to Lima as fast as I could, which was easy, seeing as it's the middle of the night…" he explained.

"I only just woke up like fifteen minutes ago, I came right over," she revealed. "What about…"

"Rachel," they spoke at once.

"Come on, I'll drive," he told her.

They had gotten into his car and they headed on their way to the Berry house. Rachel would have the answers, she'd know what had happened in their absence. After she had returned here, to this world, they had no idea if she'd been alright, so seeing her now was also in order to rest concerns they had lived for in these last weeks.

"Maybe we should call her down instead of ringing the bell this time," Jesse suggested, and Quinn got out her phone, sending a text that said she was outside. A minute went by, and then another… When the door finally opened, there was Rachel, also in her PJs, looking like she had just barely woken up. She was about to speak, but she paused when she saw both Quinn and Jesse standing there.

"What… Quinn, it's the middle of the night, what are you doing here, are you alright?"

"Can we come in?" Quinn asked, looking around.

"We… Quinn, who's that?" Rachel whispered to Quinn, looking to Jesse. If they'd only been mildly alarmed by all the things that weren't quite right since they'd woken up, this one rang all the bells.

"Rachel, that's Jesse," Quinn breathed, hoping she was just in the mood for a really bad joke.

"I don't know who that is," she shook her head, and their brief moment of relief had ended.

"He's a friend," Quinn assured her. "Can we come in?"

"Okay," she still didn't look too sure, but she let them through, shutting the door. As soon as they were inside, Rachel had pointed for Jesse to wait in the hall, while she pulled Quinn to the side. "What's going on, why did you bring him here, it's almost three in the morning," she whispered.

"You're serious, you really don't know who he is?" Quinn had to ask.

"Yes, I swear!" she tried to keep her voice down, even though she was growing annoyed at being asked the same question over and over.

"And you don't know anything about another world?" Quinn looked her in the eye, and seeing her cluelessness over both questions, she knew what she didn't want to say out loud was coming true… They had left one world, but they hadn't gone home… This was a new world, one where she and Jesse weren't together, and he was a stranger to Rachel…

"Are you drunk? Or high?" Rachel shook her head, and then rested her hands on both of Quinn's arms.

"N-no, I'm not, I guess I just… Never mind," she breathed. They weren't going to get anywhere. "Look, I'm sorry I woke you, I shouldn't have come," she shook her head. "We'll go, I'll talk to you in the morning," she tried not to sound as unnerved as she was.

"Are you sure?" Rachel asked, and Quinn nodded. "Alright, well… Call or text when you get home?" she made her promise, and then she kissed her. Quinn froze, not having expected this in the least, and she could feel Jesse staring at them with just about the same amount of shock.

"Right… Okay, good night," she gave Rachel a smile and a nod before grabbing Jesse and leading him out. Before long they were back in his car, driving off. They drove in silence for a while, but then Quinn could hear something and she looked over to Jesse, who was stifling back a laugh. "Don't," she frowned.

"I'm sorry, it's been a long day and the look on your face was just…" he shook his head.

"You do realize what's happening, don't you?" she stared at him.

"What else am I supposed to do, cry? We can't know what's happening now, so we might as well go home and figure it out in the morning."

"You're not driving back to Akron at this hour, you're staying at my place, we'll just have to make sure my mother doesn't know you're there."

"Hey," he looked to her when they reached a red light. She looked to him, and he took her hand. "At least we're still together." She smiled, nodding.

TO BE CONCLUDED (TUESDAY)


	10. New Kids In Town

_**This is a double shift day.** There will be one more upload today: Technicolor Wishes & Hi-Def Dreams, chapter 3__._

* * *

**"Siren Call"**

**10. New Kids In Town**

WORLD B

The minutes were dragging by, and Jesse and Quinn had yet to awaken. Rachel looked at the both of them, to Brittany who now was crouched next to her. Santana was on her other side, and like a few others, she was starting to talk about moving the pair of them somewhere else, to the nurse's office probably. But Rachel kept telling them to wait, that they would wake up shortly. Only then Mr. Schuester had arrived, and Coach Sylvester, and Rachel worried that they might find out something they weren't supposed to. She looked to Brittany, trying to signal to her to run interference, do something. It took a while but then the blonde had thankfully caught on, and she had moved to talk to the coach and the teacher, relaying the course of events to them as slowly and as detailed as possible.

"Come on, come on…" Rachel muttered under her breath.

"What the hell is going on?" Santana glared at her, confused about everything that had happened in the last five to ten minutes. Rachel didn't know what to tell her, searched for words…

But then with a great big gasp, Jesse and Quinn had awakened, causing an uproar from the onlookers.

"Hey, it's okay, you're alright," Rachel had told both of them. "You're home, you're safe," she told them, breathing out. Jesse was the first one to open his eyes, and when he did, he flinched, seeing so many people around him, so many people he didn't know.

"Where am I? Who the hell are you people?" he blurted out. Rachel stared at him. She had not seen this one coming.

"Jesse, relax, it's okay, you know us," she told him, nodding along.

"How do you know my name?" he still looked at her like she was a complete stranger.

"I will tell you everything you want to know, but right now you have to tell them you're fine so they'll leave us alone, do you understand? Both of you," she leaned in and whispered for him and Quinn to hear. The blonde had yet to open her eyes, but then…

"I'm fine, you can go…" she spoke, opening her eyes and staring up to the teachers. "Right?" she looked to Jesse at her side. He looked to Rachel, who gave a discreet nod.

"Yeah, I'm good," he looked up as well. It took a few seconds more, but finally they had gotten the crowd to start receding. "Alright, now they're gone, so tell me who are you and how did I get here?" he turned his eyes back to the brunette.

"Rachel?" She looked to the side, finding Santana was still there… of course she would be. She stared at her, asking herself how she could possibly get her to leave without telling her what was really going on, and without upsetting her to the point where she wouldn't speak to her again.

"Do you trust me?" she found herself asking, and Santana looked around, seeing who was around, who was within earshot.

"You know I do," she finally replied.

"I need to talk to talk to Quinn and Jesse alone," Rachel told her, and Santana hesitated. "Please? I'll tell you everything later, I promise." She meant it. As much as she didn't want to, she didn't think she really had a choice at this point.

"Okay. Just don't wait too long," Santana told her, and Rachel knew… this was a warning.

"I won't," Rachel promised, and Santana stood, walked off. Rachel sighed, but there was no time for waiting around. She had to play welcome wagon. "You might be a little shaky on your legs right now, so be careful in getting up," she instructed, helping the pair of them to stand. She led them into an empty classroom. "Okay…"

"Who…" Jesse started, and she groaned.

"My name is Rachel Berry, and you're not the Jesse I was expecting, but you're here now, so shut up and listen to me for a second. What about you?" she turned to Quinn. "Do you know who I am?"

"Of course, I do," Quinn blinked, and there was something in her eyes, something about the way she looked at her… This was not the Quinn she'd been expecting either, but she still knew her… and by the looks of it, she was thinking she knew her a lot more intimately than Rachel knew her.

"Right…" she breathed, "Way to complicate things for me." Now how was she going to explain that one to Santana? "Look, I can't have you messing things up over here, so I'm just going to give you the quick and dirty version of it right now. You've been transported into another world, I guess you could call it an alternate universe, a parallel world, whatever. You've taken the place of our Quinn and our Jesse, which means right about now they'll be traipsing through your lives, won't that be fun… You're going to think I'm crazy, but I'm telling you right now it's going to make things so much easier if you grasp on to the fact that I am telling you the truth right now. Let me ask you this, what happened before you woke up out there? Did you suddenly feel very tired, so tired that you couldn't keep yourself awake even if you tried, and all you really wanted to do was to sit and sleep, like your body was begging for it?" They looked at her, and she knew she had them. "Welcome to bizarro world. It's confusing at first, but I'll walk you through it, I've done it before," she told them.

Just then, she was distracted by noises in the hall, and she moved to open the door, grabbing a guy on the fly. "Hey…"

"Where are you going?" she asked him.

"I don't know, they said there's other people passed out over there," the boy pointed down the hall, and Rachel let him go, looking back to Jesse and Quinn.

"Great… just great… Now who did you bring along for the ride?"

THE END

_A/N: End of the story, not the series, as you can probably guess ;) Prepare for the new world..._


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